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Indy Barends: Her heart and soul are in the air

Widely known for her chatty and fun personality, Indy Barends is one of the most prominent emcees and TV hosts in the local entertainment business

Triwik Kurniasari (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Sun, August 8, 2010

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Indy Barends: Her heart and soul are in the air

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idely known for her chatty and fun personality, Indy Barends is one of the most prominent emcees and TV hosts in the local entertainment business.

JP/Triwik Kurniasari    On TV, she is a smart, fun yet humorous presenter with a straightforward and witty style. In reality, she’s just as fun and chatty as we see her on the small screen. Talking to her was enjoyable as she’s got long answers for every question. Often, she gave a smart and straight-to-the-point answer. She talked much about her recent shows, her casting in the movie, her family as well as her dreams.

Born in Bogor, West Java, on Jan. 15, 1972, Indy started her career in the broadcasting industry when she joined the marketing division of the Hard Rock Radio in Jakarta.

It was Meuthia Kasim, a senior radio announcer and former Indonesian Idol judge, who first noticed Indy’s talent. Meuthia later offered her a job as a radio DJ in the station to host a morning program.  

“I never dreamed of becoming a radio DJ. I was just suddenly ‘trapped’ in this world. Meuthia Kasim liked my style and that’s how it all began,” said Indy.

It turned out that Indy enjoyed her new world. ”I think I have this gift. The improvisations came naturally. It’s been a lot of fun.”

She and her colleague Farhan received an award from the Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI) for hosting a show for 32 hours non-stop. The duo soon became a fan favorite, and they were hired to host Good Morning on the Weekend on Trans TV.

Her fame rose in 2004 when she was assigned to co-host the talk show Ceriwis (Talkative) with her colleague Indra Bekti. Two years later, she appeared as a judge in the third season of the talent search show Indonesian Idol.

As a host of a TV show, Indy said she never felt she had to be funny all the time. “I just go with the flow because I’m not a comedian,” she said.

The audiences and viewers, she said, are free to judge or label her. “I don’t want to create any specific images for myself. Let the people decide.”

After six years at Ceriwis, Indy decided to quit the show following the birth of her second child, Manuel Tobias Sarmanella.

“I was informed that there would be some changes for Ceriwis. I learned that the content would be so different so I decided to quit the show.”

Indy said that she wanted to be in a program that suits her age. “I’m not a teen anymore so I have to make up my mind. I don’t want to be part of a show that only explores silliness.”  

She now co-hosts a program called Opini on TV One with Farhan, saying she was glad to be able to team up with him again.

“It’s good to be his partner. Even though there have been some changes in our lives and personalities, they don’t disturb our chemistry,” she said.

“The chemistry is still there and we are happy to be together again.”

Besides hosting shows on TV, Indy has also stepped into the movie world by playing in some Indonesian films like Ariel dan Raja Langit (Ariel and the King of Sky) and Bad Wolves.

She recently starred in Upi Avianto’s action comedy Red Cobex, along with Cut Mini, Sarah Sechan, Aida Nurmala and Tika Panggabean.

 “I was interested in the film just right after I knew who directs it and the cast and after I read the script. Upi is a talented and skilled director. I did not want to miss this thing,”

“I was so surprised knowing that I would portray a household mother doubling as a thug, who fought crime. That’s interesting.”

Indy had to ride a motorbike and practice martial arts. Indy said that she had never studied acting, and she learned on the job.

“I learned from my fellow actresses. They, especially Mini, Sarah and Aida, are  familiar with the movie world. They were the reason why I wanted to take part in this project,” said Indy.

“There was also a workshop in which I could learn more about acting. Upi also provided coaches for fighting scenes and learning North Sulawesi’s Manado accent.”

For Indy, Red Cobex is the first “serious” film she’s ever been part of. In previous projects, she had only cameo roles.

She admitted that she found it hard to manage her time during the filming of this movie. She had to sacrifice her sleep because she had to go out at 4 a.m. and return home when everyone in the house was already in bed.

“I got to know the real situation of film-making, but I took it as a challenge. I really wanted to be totally involved in this,” said Indy, adding that she was in just three to four scenes in her previous films.  
How did her beloved husband Benny Sarmanella react?

“One of the reasons why I wanted to marry him is because he gives me freedom to do what I want to do as long as I still remember my role as a wife and a mother of two,” she said.

“He allows me to do activities outside the house. He keeps on supporting me. I think he prefers to see me active than being at home, cleaning house,” she said, giggling.

Indy expressed her gratefulness and good fortune for having a caring yet trustworthy hubby like Benny.

“When I was making the film, my oldest son Rapha [Raphael Benaya Sarmanella] was busy with his school projects and he needed me to find some materials from the Internet. It was a difficult situation,” she explained.

“Luckily, my hubby gave a solution to this problem. He let me keep on working, while he himself was willing to go home earlier than usual to help Rapha.”

Her son once protested when she told him about her latest project.

“Rapha is a good friend of Sarah’s son, Rajata. So, I told Rapha that if he was lonely or bored, he could call Rajata,” she said.

 “I did not want him to feel lonely. I always checked up on him and called him on the phone from the set. I also let him to come to see me so he knew that playing in a movie was different than being an emcee.”

She told Rapha that she played a woman who stood for good and befriended people from different cultures and races, teaching him to respect others regarding their backgrounds.

Even though she’s got permission from her husband, it’s hard for Indy to leave her youngest kid. But her mother convinced her to take the project, saying it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

Acting in a film and hosting a show are completely different things, but Indy said she enjoyed them both.

“They have a different feel. As an emcee, we usually know our working hours, but working in the movie business is hard to predict.

“The most important thing is we should love what we do. If we love it, we won’t feel it as a burden.”

Even though she enjoyed playing in movies, Indy said that being a show host is most important. “Film is not my primary target. If somebody offers me to play in a movie, I will go for it and if moviegoers like it, I will be very grateful. But it’s not that I want to be in the film industry forever.”

“I like to try everything. I have not yet thought about staying in the movie business. I’m afraid that I will surpass Dian Sastrowardoyo’s popularity. So I just stick to being a host,” she said jokingly.

In terms of career, Indy tends to let everything go with the flow and never wants to be pushy in reaching something.

“Who would have guessed I could be a radio DJ and TV host? Who would have guessed I could be an actress? It’s all God’s will,” she said.

“If I can do it all then I’ll do it. If I can’t, that’s fine. I don’t want to push myself too hard”

She still has dreams and hopes. She admitted that she wanted to be back in the radio industry, her first love.

“It’s a simple and basic dream. I want have my very own radio show. When I get older, I still want to be a part of the radio industry,” she cited.

“I’ve always been missing the world of radio, I don’t know why. It’s been my heart and soul.”

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